


back to haunt you

by infinitefire



Category: Wolf 359 (Radio)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-03
Updated: 2017-04-03
Packaged: 2018-10-14 09:05:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10533276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/infinitefire/pseuds/infinitefire
Summary: Warren Kepler is haunted by the past. Maxwell observes.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [eyemoji](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eyemoji/gifts).



> this was inspired by keplersghostex's idea/au where kepler has an ex that cutter forced him to kill. credit for aaron's character and the universe goes to her, along with some ideas contributed by other people in the discord chat.

It's not the first time Maxwell wakes up to the sounds of screaming from the room next door. She immediately sits up, alert, as if she's done it a million times--which she supposes she has, not that she's been keeping track. She lifts her hands to her hair, pulling it out of her face and tying it back messily with the band around her wrist. It's 4:20, she realizes, glancing over at the glaring red numbers on the alarm clock on her nightstand. The lack of a dot signifies that it's still morning, and she hasn't slept in far too late, as if she hadn't gathered that from the darkness outside the window.

She expects Jacobi to come knocking on her door any moment in search of some comfort from someone who's willing (though reluctant) to provide a hug for someone smelling faintly of rotten cheese. She waits a few minutes, sleepily wondering whether Jacobi just hasn't woken up yet, until she remembers that the scream didn't come from the direction of his room at all.

Maxwell almost hates herself for immediately wondering whether Jacobi had been sleeping with Kepler the previous night.

But no--she would have heard _that_. This was a different kind of scream than Jacobi's. It was a scream of shock, and though the tone was foreign, the voice was definitely Kepler's. And the scream sounded vaguely like a word--no, a name.

_"Aaron!"_

Maxwell decides it's better not to ask Kepler about it. She can't fall back asleep, so she reaches over and grabs her laptop. Might as well get some work done.

* * *

"Did you hear anything last night?"

"No, why?" A pause. "Are you having nightmares?"

"No, but I think Kepler might be."

" _Kepler?_ Are you sure you're okay, Maxwell?" 

"Nevermind. Forget I said anything."

"No, I want to know. What did you hear?"

Maxwell starts to whisper, afraid Kepler might hear. "I heard him scream something. I think he was trying to say 'Aaron.""

"Weird. I thought the guy was emotionless."

"Yeah, so did I."

Jacobi leans against her, his fluffy hair getting in her face a bit.

Maxwell shrugs away. "Are you _sure_ you don't have lice?"

Jacobi rolls his eyes.

* * *

One time Maxwell wakes up, it's a crash from Kepler's room, like he's smashed something on the ground. Despite her better judgement, she slips on a sweater and some jeans and knocks on his door.

"Aaron, is that you? Are you haunting me with your perfect manners, knocking on my door every time even in death? Are you trying to make me regret by reminding me how you knocked on my door-- _our_ door--even after all the times we saw each other naked? Even after all the times we fucked? Go away, Aaron. Please."

It's nowhere near what Maxwell expected. She decides it's better not to ask, better to pretend she never heard anything at all. But she wonders if this Aaron is part of the reason Kepler is so cruel sometimes. Perhaps it's his Tragic Villain Backstory. She can't blame him for having one, it's not as if she hasn't got one too.

* * *

Months pass, and Maxwell almost forgets about the mysterious Aaron. It's not until one day when she and her team members are discussing their mission when it comes up again. They're in the middle of a heated discussion about murder techniques--Kepler, for some reason, has a strong aversion to stabbing--when Kepler's phone, which sits face-down on the desk next to Maxwell, starts ringing. His ringtone is a song, but it sounds strangely un-Kepler-like. Kepler growls at the sound and asks Maxwell to turn it off.

She picks up Kepler's phone and presses the "decline" button without looking who's calling. When the lock screen appears, Maxwell is struck with surprise. It's a picture of Kepler, _smiling_ , along with another man kissing him on the cheek. As surprising as it is to find Kepler having a partner, the strangest part of the image is the bright red writing horrifically edited on top of it reading "SURPRISE, BITCH."

"Sorry if this is a personal question, sir," Maxwell begins hesitantly, unable to help being mildly amused by the image on the screen, "but _what_ is your lock screen?"

"Nothing that concerns you," Kepler snaps, and Maxwell swears she hears him whisper the name Aaron under his breath.

* * *

"Okay, what's his lock screen?" Jacobi asks the first chance he gets to confront Maxwell about it.

Maxwell shakes her head. "I'm not sure how to describe that monstrosity, but I think it's got something to do with that Aaron." 

"Who on Earth or anywhere else in this universe could Aaron be?"

"I don't know, his boyfriend, maybe?"

"His _boyfriend?_ " 

"Jealous, Jacobi?" Maxwell teases.

"Shut up."

* * *

The next week, Kepler's screams are particularly bad. Maxwell only hears bits and pieces--

"Aaron, I'm sorry!" 

"No, I love you, I promise!"

"I swear I didn't tell him!"

"I didn't want to do it!" 

"Aaron, please!"

"Forgive me, Aaron!" 

"Cutter made me!"

"I never wanted to kill you!" 

She's never been particularly fond of Kepler, but Maxwell supposes there's even more to him than she thought. But it's the mentions of Cutter and killing that really strike her curiosity.

She knows Cutter's an awful man, and he's hurt everyone he's employed--but what did he do to _Kepler_?

Maxwell knows better than to ask.

* * *

After that, the screaming stops. To Maxwell, Aaron forever remains a mystery.


End file.
